Improvement in milk-can receptacles



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- MILK-CAN murmurs. No. 171,294.

Pat nted Dec. 21, 1275.

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. w I M: far. M MM 4 %WZ- @W UN TED STATES PATENT QFFIGE.

IMPROVEMENT IN MILK-CAN RECEPTACLES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 171,294, dated December21, 1875; application filed December 2, 1875.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, NAHUM LITTLEFIELD, ofPortland, in the county of Cumberland and State of Maine, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvementsin Combined Letter-Boxes and Milk-GanHolders; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in theart to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being badto the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference markedthereon, which form a part of this specification. a

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of my invention. Fig. 2 is afront view.

Same letters show like parts.

The object of my invention is to produce a device which will serve notonly the purpose of the ordinary letter-box, but will also serve as areceptacle for a milk-can.

I will now proceed to describe my invention in detail.

a shows an ordinary letter-box, which is to be attached to thedoor-casing in the common manner. I) is a lid or cover to the box a,hinged as illustrated. c is an adjustable tunnel-shaped conductor,placed near the top of the box a, and arranged to play up and down inslots or grooves cut inside of the said box. d show the grooves. Thelower end of this tunnel-shaped conductor is of such size and form as tofit the mouth of the can to be in? serted. e is the can. f shows thelid, which covers the aperture g, through which the letters' to bedeposited within the box are inserted. It shows studs or projectingpieces attached to one side of the box a, and when the whole device isto be fastened to the door-casing, the proper iastenings are passedthrough these pieces into the door-casing, thus holding the said devicefirmly fastened in place.

Having thus given the construction of myinvention, I will now proceed todescribe its oper-. ation. One side of thebox a (that which fronts be alittle higher than the lower end of the conductor 0 and when it (thecan) is placed within the box its top first strikes the flaring part ofc, and, as-it is pushedalong, this conductor 0 rises in the grooves alluntil the can is into place, when the mouth of the conductor drops intothe top of the can. The letters are to be placed in the box in the usualmanner, there being sufficient space for them between the outside of thecan and the inside of the box. When the can is to be removed the door ofthe house is opened and permits of this operation. The can is placedWithin the box when desired, and when the' milkman arrives he merelyraises the lid 11 and pours the milk into the conductor 0, which carriesit to the can. i is a set-screw, which holds the conductor 0 in place,(horizontally,) and when it is desired to remove the said conductor forrepair or cleaning, all that is necessary is to turn out the screw '5,and it can then be easily withdrawn from the grooves d. A

The box can be of any desired form and size, and the can of suchdimensions as to fit the same.

By having the studs h as described, a space, j, is left between the boxand door-casing, in which papers and other articles too large foradmission through the aperture g may be inserted.

It is evident that this device may be applied to a window as well as adoor.

From the foregoing description iitwill be seen that I produce a combinedletter-box and milk-can holder, so arranged that the can can be placedwithin the box at any hour previous to the arrival of the milkman, andbe incapable of removal from the outside of the house. 1 a

What I claim as myinvention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In an ordinary letter-box for doors, &c., the combination of theadjustable tunnel-shaped conductor 0, grooves d, set-screw t, lid b, andcan 0, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I affix my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

NAHUM LITTLEFIELD.

